Heathrow airport trials new scheme to ‘bump’ slow coach travellers onto later flights
Passengers who potter through the terminals or pop to the bar could be booted off their flights
SLOWCOACH Passengers who dawdle through airports face being shifted onto later flights under plans to cut delays at Heathrow airport.
Airport bosses are using hi-tech passenger profiling computers at the busy hub to identify the pottering travellers who struggle to make their connecting flights on time.
That means those that want to hit the duty free shops or stop for a pint or three at one of the bars could come unstuck.
The system, which was trialled over the summer, could allow airlines to 'bump' the slowest onto later planes to ensure the aircraft take off on time, reveals the .
The move is designed to reduce delays caused by the tens of thousands who transfer through Heathrow en route to worldwide destinations.
The technology is being funded and managed by Eurocontrol, the air traffic control network.
They will examine 33 key pieces of information to predict which people will have trouble making their connections.
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Experts said the system can help flag up people in danger of missing their connections and allow airlines to make contingency plans to ensure flights are not delayed as a result.
The information includes what cabin class passengers are travelling, whether they have bags and whether they are part of a large group - like a stag or hen party - or big family.
Bert de Reyck, director of the school of management at University College London, said: “This allows the airlines to decide hours in advance whether certain passengers will make it [to their connecting flight] so they can reload the bags and transfer them to another flight.
“Alternatively, the airport can say, 'we want to do something special to get them from one aircraft to the gate', like sending a bus."
The technology could be rolled out to leading European airports if successful, professor de Reyck said.
He added: “Heathrow is the most congested airport on the planet, handling 75 million passengers per year with only two runways.
“Any interruption causes further delays not only throughout the day, but throughout the entire European network.”
Last ditch bid for Gatwick runway
Sadiq Khan today made a last-ditch attempt to persuade the Government to back a new runway at Gatwick rather than Heathrow.
The Mayor wrote to Theresa May to argue that expanding the south London airport would boost aviation capacity and economic growth while keeping air quality safe and within legal limits.
His letter to the Prime Minister — signed by 30 cross-party London MPs, council leaders and Assembly members — said the decision would show the rest of the world that Britain was still “open for business” after the Brexit vote.
He also claimed that, unlike Heathrow, Gatwick expansion would not require a public subsidy which was a “huge factor” in uncertain economic times.
“We can finally get moving, unleash the potential for economic growth and send a positive signal to the world that London — and Britain — is open,” he said.
“Following the EU referendum, it’s more important than ever that we demonstrate we’re open for business and that we can make the most of crucial investment opportunities.”
Ministers are meeting shortly to discuss where to provide extra capacity needed in the South-East and a decision is expected to be taken imminently.